Beneath the small-town exterior of Oldfield, Tenn., lies a history of shocking violence and terrifying phenomena, as recounted by local historian Julian White (Vincent Price). In the '80s, an office worker (Clu Gulager) nurses a deadly crush. In the '50s, a witch doctor (Harry Caesar) holds the secret to unending life. In the '30s, fighting breaks out in a traveling carnival. Finally, in the 1860s, Union soldiers discover a group of orphaned children.